History Main / BoomHeadShot

* The original ''UnrealTournament'' is responsible for the "HEADSHOT!" announcement so dominant in CS servers. ''UnrealTournament2004'', ''UnrealChampionship2'' and ''UnrealTournament3'' bring this to the extreme by adding the "Head Hunter" award, for 15 consecutive headshots, which typically result in the offending extremity vanishing in an [[ChunkySalsaRule explosion of red chunks]].

* Anytime you run into a seemingly-invincible enemy in the ''MegaMan'' series, you have to aim for his head. Does his head fill the screen? Gem in the forehead. No head? Anything that looks like an eye is your target.

** Some 'Mechs have notoriously large cockpit hitboxes in their respective games, including the Jenner, the Catapult, and the UrbanMech. It was not uncommon for players to hit the heads of these models of 'Mech without actually trying to, and killing the target in a few clustered headshots instead of slugging it out with them.

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]
* ''Hellsing'' (the anime) does this constantly. To the point that people are making skits out of it, as demonstrated [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DhvbEhl5-4&playnext_from=TL&videos=Nizc5869zd0 here]]
* Justified in ''ShikabaneHime''; the only way to kill a Shikabane is to either destroy its brain or tear its body into too many scattered pieces for it to be able to regenerate. Given the incredible strength and resiliency of Shikabane, the former is really the only practical option, so Makina and other gun-wielding Shikabane Hime will of course target the head.
* Played straight and subverted in ''{{Gundam 00}}''. Straight in the cases of [[spoiler: Aeolia Schenberg (shot and killed by Alejandro Corner)]], [[spoiler: Hong Long (shot and killed by Nena Trinity)]] and [[spoiler: Ali Al-Saachez (by Lyle "Lockon Stratos" Dylandy)]]. Subverted by [[spoiler: Ribbons Almarck (who immediately transferred his conscience to a new body)]] and [[spoiler: Tieria Erde (whose body ''does'' die... but his conscience is uploaded into VEDA, so he still lives.)]]
* ''YesPrettyCure5'': Nozomi's Dream Attack appears to be this, judging from how it's animated.
* Reborn, the [[{{TricksterMentor}} Infant Tutor]] of [[KatekyoHitmanReborn Tsunayoshi Sawada]], [[{{MagicBullets}} is all about the headshots]]. Dead center of the forehead. Every time. Sometimes he shoots the arm, sometimes the kneecap. But usually, it's the head. The one being shot at is Tsuna himself, but don't worry though. [[{{HeGotBetter}} He Gets Better]] because when he does get shot, he [[{{TookALevelInBadass}} Takes A Level In Badass]].
** How good is Reborn? One time, when Tsuna was facing off against the {{big bad}} of the moment, said villain punched Tsuna into a wall before Reborn had a chance to shoot Tsuna. No matter, Reborn simply fired anyway, [[{{Crowningmomentofawesome}} pulling off a perfect headshot while his target was flying backwards at a high enough velocity to smash concrete on impact.]]
* Some deaths in ''{{Gantz}}'' have this trope. Nishi blasting a person's head off because he shot at him. Katou also blasted Nurarihyon's giant female golem head off, though he realizes soon after that its pointless.
* ''MacrossFrontier'' more often than not subverts this, despite ''every'' sniper in the series ''always'' going for the head anyway.
** The [[InsectoidAliens Vajra]] in episode 3 was still alive and kicking after [[TheAce Mikhail]] blew its head off, resulting in several more minutes of (mostly offscreen) fighting.
** Mikhail even goes for the head on enemy [[CoolPlane variable]] [[SpaceFighter fighters]] in [[HumongousMecha Battroid]] mode, [[FridgeLogic despite the cockpit being in the center of mass and taking out the Battroid head is hardly a crippling shot]], but [[FridgeBrilliance it could be argued that they wanted to take the pilot alive, and Alto had already tied up the enemy fighter sumo wrestler style, which could potentially keep the enemy fighter from transforming into a mode where it could actually see afterward.]]
** And still subverted in the GrandFinale. [[spoiler:[[TheHero Alto]] goes for [[BigBad Grace]]'s head with Mikhail's [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill MECHA SCALE ANTI-MATERIEL SNIPER RIFLE]]]]. The target was basically stationary though, but even a body shot would have still been instant death.
* ''{{Monster}}'''s Dr. Tenma was taught by a sniper to avoid the desire for a headshot and use the Failure Drill instead.
* The first use of ''GaoGaiGar'''s Broken Phantom tears right through EI-02's face. Slightly subverted in that, far from being fatal, it just takes a moment to pull its head back together. (Just in time to get its bell rung by a sucker-punch.)
* When the Computer Club President challenges the SOS Brigade to a video game contest in ''SuzumiyaHaruhi'', the titular character does a DynamicEntry and kicks him in the head. With both feet.

[[AC:Comic Books]]
* The Minutemen of ''[=~100 Bullets~=]'' are quite skillful when it comes to getting consistent headshots.
* In the ''BlackestNight'' CrisisCrossover, the character Dove is somehow able to kill the [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Black Lanterns]]. So what do the [[AllYourPowersCombined unified Lantern Corps]] do when [[spoiler:the Anti-Monitor]], one of the ultimate {{Big Bad}}s in the DC Universe, is one? A Green Lantern [[spoiler:[[HumanCannonball puts her in a bullet construct.]] The Red Lanterns blind the Anti-Monitor. A Sinestro Corps sniper ''shoots'' Dove out of a gun, smashing through seven glass constructs by all the other Corpsmembers, into the Anti-Monitor's brain.]] Epic.

[[AC:Film]]
* In ''{{Terminator}} 2'', the T-800 did just this with a shotgun at point blank range towards the T-1000 at the hospital elevator door, splitting his head in half.
* Both versions of ''DawnOfTheDead'' feature a zombie taking a very messy shotgun blast to the head.
* In ''BladeRunner'', [[spoiler: Rachael kills Leon]] by means of this trope. The name is especially appropriate in this case, as one hears the boom, so to speak, before seeing what has happened.
* In ''{{Aliens}}'', Hicks sticks a shotgun into a Xenomorph's mouth when the alien is trying to force the APC door open and say: "Eat this!". Though the aftermath makes Hudson suffer a burned left arm due to splashing [[HollywoodAcid corrosive]] Alien blood.
* In the first ''[[TheMatrix Matrix]]'' film, Trinity did this at [[ClickHello point blank range]] against an Agent who was trying to finish Neo after dodging every one of his bullets and shooting him in the legs. She said, "DodgeThis." The Agent didn't.
* Many zombie movies are able to score this off.

[[AC:Literature]]
* [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in DavidZindell's ''RequiemForHomoSapiens'': eye tlolts are weapons that fire projectiles which [[EyeScream home in on eyes]].
* In the ''{{Warhammer 40000}}'' novel ''Brothers of the Snake'', [[spoiler: apothecary Menon]] is running around with his faceplate up. While this allows him to spot the Chaos beastie, once human enemies with guns show up the predictable happens.
* ''TheZombieSurvivalGuide'' clearly states that only destroying the brain of a zombie kills it, making automatic fire weapons a waste of bullets, and Infernal Retaliation a very potent problem (As the zombies have no concept of self-preservation or pain, meaning to Kill It With Fire, you'll have to wait a while).
* While [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mission_to_Vulpter preparing]] to kill a prominent enemy target in ''LegacyOfTheForce'', Ben Skywalker and Jori Lekauf discuss this trope (as a side note, they're going for the sniping route, and Ben has an advantage in being Force-sensitive);
-->'''Ben''': Why not center mass?
-->'''Lekauf''': That's the army way - kill or wound, you've still put the target out of action. Police snipers have to worry about hostages and stuff, so they're trained to incapacitate instantly - headshot. Assassination doesn't have to be as instant, just dead. But a headshot's still best. (''makes a gesture to demonstrate the target zone, at about eye level'') That's the zone you're aiming at. A five-centimeter band around the head at eye level. Put one in there and you've got a kill. But with the kind of frangible round you'll be using, as long as you hit the head or neck at all, the result's the same.
-->'''Ben''': What if I can only get a shot at center mass?
-->'''Lekauf''': He won't respond to cardiopulmonary resuscitation after a round hits him, believe me. Optimum is still the headshot, though.

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* One episode of ''[[CriminalMinds Criminal Minds]]'' featured a killer who targeted police officers for the challenge. Since his targets wore protective vests he favored headshots [[spoiler:or more accurately, neck shot]].
** Not to mention JJ's beautiful headshot on the unsub in "Penelope"
** ...and Ried's in "L.D.S.K."

[[AC:Tabletop Games]]
* In ''DarkHeresy'', the head is the one part of the body least likely to be armored (mainly because of how the game's armor rules work). So if you're any class that isn't explicitly built for combat, you have no reason not to target the head (even with the called-shot penalty). The head's damage chart always goes to lethal results fastest, as well.
** That's because in ''DarkHeresy'', if you blow a hole in someone he's likely to come back with a cybernetic liver. I'd like to see them get a cybernetic ''head'' though.
* In ''{{GURPS}}'' a head shot is not always a one hit kill but it does do four times normal damage, hitting is very difficult.
** Another problem is that skull has its own DR, meaning that whatever you hit the head with might just bounce off. Especially if the target is wearing a helmet.
*** Your perfectly average human has 10HP, a 'crippling wound' on the head is 1/3HP. The head has Damage Reduction 2. Almost all guns do at least 3 damage, which after DR is 1* 4 = 4. One more point of damage, and you have more than twice the amount of damage for a crippling wound, meaning that the head is 'destroyed'. Boom, headshot.
*** Or to put it another way, wear a damn helmet if you want anything more than a derringer round to bounce off.

[[folder:Video Games]]

* Averted in ''TeamFortress2'' - only the sniper can attain headshots. Everyone else is stuck with blasting away at the body.
** Played straight in the prequel, though. One shot can gib a [[TheBigGuy Heavy Weapons Guy]].
** Headshots were removed from Team Fortress 2 and replaced by critical strikes to remove the emphasis of aiming for the head with every class.

** You forget that the magnum will kill just about anything in one shot on any part of the target.

* Nearly all headshots in ''{{Borderlands}}'' will remove the head, and even sometimes destroy the entire body.
** Sometimes a necessary gameplay gimmick, since some enemies will shrug off everything but a headshot.
*** There are also challenges centered around getting certain numbers of headshots for bonus XP.

* The Headshot skill in the MMO ''Urban Dead'' is a partial subversion: Instead of allowing instant kills, a fatal shot on a zombie results in that zombie taking a Headshot and being forced to spend 5 more Action Points than normal to rise.
** However, a skill allows veteran zombies to circumvent this somewhat. Also, in the ''DiaryOfTheDead'' tie-in side city Monroeville (where the zombies are conveniently Romero-style zombies), this is played straight.

** Probably justified, since many zombie mythos have destruction of the brain as the best, if not the only, way to kill zombies.
** ''Resident Evil 4'' and ''5'', however, subvert this. Headshots usually aren't instant kills unless a sniper rifle is used. The fully upgraded handgun in 4 is capable of fatal headshots almost every time, however.
*** Oh no, the REAL subversion in RE4 is that sometimes blowing their head off ''just makes them worse!''
**** ...As does shooting them in the ass. Go ahead, try it.

** Sort of averted and/or lampshaded in a free DLC pack, where Zaeed Messani, a mercenary, tells you of how he survived a point-blank shot to the head while being held down by six men. Shepard can disbelievingly ask how he could survive it. It's presumably where his discoloured eye and the gigantic scar on his cheek came from.

[[/folder]]


[[AC:Web]]
* [[http://chocobo-on-clay-crak.deviantart.com/art/Naruto-470-Parody-142783581 This]] parody of Naruto's 470th manga chapter. Somewhat of an odd example in that it wasn't completely intentional, but the original target was supposed to be offed by a headshot as well (maybe).
* '''[[CrowningMomentOfFunny Hilariously]]''' parodied by ''{{The Onion}}'' with their [[http://www.theonion.com/content/video/hot_new_video_game_consists?utm_source=a-section review of "Close Range,"]] a game that consists of nothing but shooting people directly in the face. ''[[{{Defictionalization}} They actually made a playable version.]]'' [[http://www.closerangegame.com/ You can play it here.]]

[[AC: RealLife]]
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_autopsy John Fitzgerald Kennedy]]. Read the article, see the pictures, be {{squicked}}. Even if he's arguably a milder example, it's still quite NightmareFuelUnleaded.
* The famous Real Life ''aversion'' was Field Marshal [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Kutuzov Mikhail Kutuzov]]. Not only the guy got shot in the head by a [[HandCannon musket ball]] and [[MadeOfIron survived]], but he even (by some accounts) retained vision in the injured eye. His famous [[EyepatchOfPower eyepatch]] was because actually ''using'' this eye was giving him headaches.
** Another similar aversion was done by [[RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms Xiahou Dun,]] who took an arrow through the [[EyeScream eye]] but survived. He wore an {{EyepatchOfPower eyepatch afterwards as well.
* There was a man who got shot in the head with a round from a .50 caliber sniper rifle (the kind designed to fight ''tanks'', among other things). Judging from the..."[[{{Gorn}} state]]"...of the head, safe to say that death followed ''very'' quickly. (Google image at your own risk)

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Go_for_the_head!.png

* There was a man who got shot in the head with a round from a .50 caliber sniper rifle. Judging from the..."[[{{Gorn}} state]]"...of the head, safe to say that death followed ''very'' quickly. (Google image at your own risk)

* ''MacrossFrontier'' more often than not subverts this, despite ''every'' sniper in the series ''always'' going for the head anyway. The [[InsectoidAlien Vajra]] in episode 3 was still alive and kicking after [[TheAce Mikhail]] blew its head off, resulting in several more minutes of (mostly offscreen) fighting. Mikhail also tends to go for the head on enemy [[CoolPlane variable]] [[SpaceFighter fighters]] in Battroid mode, [[FridgeLogic despite the cockpit being in the center of mass and taking out the Battroid head is hardly a crippling shot]], but [[FridgeBrilliance it could be argued that they wanted to take the pilot alive, and Alto had already tied up the enemy fighter sumo wrestler style, which could potentially keep the enemy fighter from transforming into a mode where it could see afterward.]]

* Played straight and subverted in {{Gundam 00}}. Straight in the cases of [[spoiler: Aeolia Schenberg (shot and killed by Alejandro Corner)]], [[spoiler: Hong Long (shot and killed by Nena Trinity)]] and [[spoiler: Ali Al-Saachez (by Lyle "Lockon Stratos" Dylandy)]]. Subverted by [[spoiler: Ribbons Almarck (who immediately transferred his conscience to a new body)]] and [[spoiler: Tieria Erde (whose body ''does'' die... but his conscience is uploaded into VEDA, so he still lives.)]]

* Some deaths in Gantz have this trope. Nishi blasting a person's head off because he shot at him. Katou also blasted Nurarihyon's giant female golem head off, though he realizes soon after that its pointless.

* The Minutemen of [=~100 Bullets~=] are quite skillful when it comes to getting consistent headshots.

* In Terminator 2, the T-800 did just this with a shotgun at point blank range towards the T-1000 at the hospital elevator door, splitting his head in half.

* In Aliens, Hicks sticks a shotgun into a Xenomorph's mouth when the alien is trying to force the APC door open and say: "Eat this!". Though the aftermath makes Hudson suffer a burned left arm due to splashing [[HollywoodAcid corrosive]] Alien blood.

* TheZombieSurvivalGuide clearly states that only destroying the brain of a zombie kills it, making automatic fire weapons a waste of bullets, and Infernal Retaliation a very potent problem (As the zombies have no concept of self-preservation or pain, meaning to Kill It With Fire, you'll have to wait a while).

* One episode of [[CriminalMinds Criminal Minds]] featured a killer who targeted police officers for the challenge. Since his targets wore protective vests he favored headshots [[spoiler:or more accurately, neck shot]].

[[AC:Video Games]]
* The term is actually inspired by [[{{Quake}} Quake III Arena]]. The announcer will typically say "Headshot" if a player hits it. This typically follows the boom sound of the fired bullet (or explosion on impact, depending on the weapon used). Hence BoomHeadshot.

* ''{{Battlefield}}'' generally have them as {{OneHitKill}}s.

* ''MetalGearSolid.'' There's even a game mode for multiplayer, where headshots are the only damaging shots.

* Obviously, most ZombieApocalypse games. ''ResidentEvil'', ''House of the Dead'', and ''Umbrella Chronicles'', especially.
** Probably justified, since many zombie mythos have destruction of the brain as the best, if not the only, way to kill zombies.
** ''Resident Evil 4'' and ''5'', however, subvert this. Headshots usually aren't instant kills unless a sniper rifle is used. The fully upgraded handgun in 4 is capable of fatal headshots almost every time, however.
*** Oh no, the REAL subversion in RE4 is that sometimes blowing their head off ''just makes them worse!''
**** ...As does shooting them in the ass. Go ahead, try it.
** Subverted in DeadSpace. The Necromorphs can be decapitated with a headshot, but that'll just piss them off.
** The Headshot skill in the MMO ''Urban Dead'' is a partial subversion: Instead of allowing instant kills, a fatal shot on a zombie results in that zombie taking a Headshot and being forced to spend 5 more Action Points than normal to rise.
*** However, a skill allows veteran zombies to circumvent this somewhat. Also, in the ''DiaryOfTheDead'' tie-in side city Monroeville (where the zombies are conveniently Romero-style zombies), this is played straight.
*** A headshot death used to cost the zombie experience. Painful ''indeed.''
** ''{{Rune}}''. Remember the zombies in ''Game/{{Quake}}''? ''Rune''[='s=] zombies are just like that, except since the game has a medieval fantasy setting, your only real options are fire and decapitation. Since normal blows just make them fall over for a few seconds (and you can't decapitate them while they're down,) you don't have access to fire weapons for many levels, and only a spinning jump-slash will reliably decapitate them (plus they're otherwise just harmless but annoying [[TheGoomba goombas]],) zombies get really old REALLY fast.
** In addition, many zombie movies are able to score this off.
** Parodied in ''{{Fallout}} 3'' with the quest "You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head". A ghoul hires you to kill a bunch of humans who considers ghouls to be just like mindless zombies, and specifically requests that you shoot them in the head or else you're paid less.
*** Of course, it's also played straight, since the head takes the most damage of any part, to anything that HAS a head. And a critical hit to the head is almost always instant death on anything but the strongest enemies.
** Left4Dead has a few achievements based around this; one for scoring a certain number of headshots over all, one for killing a zombie who hasn't seen you by bashing its head in from behind, and one for killing a Witch with a single headshot (which basically has to be done with a shotgun from point-blank range. And if you screw it up, man is she pissed...)
** Left4Dead2 has "realism mode" which (among other things) makes headshots much more important. While shooting the normal zombies center-of-mass enough times will still kill them, they don't go down nearly as easily as in the standard mode...and you also chew through ammo a lot faster.
*** Left 4 Dead 2's Headshot! mutation plays this trope more straight. Headshots are the only thing that will kill a common infected, including melee weapon hits to the head. Hitting them anywhere else causes the zombies to just stumble back. Fire, explosions, and chainsaws can still kill commons in a single hit no matter what body part.

* If you get a headshot in ''[[MassEffect Mass Effect 2]]'', your squadmates may congratulate you. Or, in the case of Garrus, he may congratulate himself. To be fair, Garrus ''is'' impressive.
** Sort of averted and/or lampshaded in a free DLC pack, where Zaeed Messani, a mercenary, tells you of how he survived a point-blank shot to the head while being held down by six men. Shepard can disbelievingly ask how he could survive it. It's presumably where his discoloured eye and the gigantic scar on his cheek came from.
* ''SilentScope'', obviously. Double points and a decent time bonus, plus OneHitKill on the bosses.

* Subverted in first-person hunter ''Deer Hunter 2005''. Headshots ''will'' kill the deer instantly, but you won't get the special slow-motion insta-kill bulletcam you get with a lung/heart shot.

** In Metroid Prime 3, the Nova Beam has the ability to kill certain enemies in one hit if you shoot a particular area (usually the heaad), and the X-Ray Visor highlights these vulnerable areas. You can even "headshot" Metroids, which are otherwise [[GoddamnedBats hard-to-kill nuisances]].
* ''GearsOfWar'' cannot be forgotten, seeing as a head shot sometimes results in Marcus Fenix (at least in the Campaign) saying Boom Headshot. Or other [[BondOneLiner witty things]] such as, "look Ma, no face" in Gears 2.

* This started creeping into ''GrandTheftAuto'' starting with 3, which gave you an M16-type that could be freely aimed (other weapons either fired wherever you faced or targeted centre of mass). Both 3 and Vice City also had sniper rifles (although those would be instant kill even if you shot them in the foot). San Andreas let you aim any weapon manually, so even your lousy 9mm starter pistol can get headshots in. It seemed to vary on whether the victim's head survived such treatment, though.
** Reaches its peak in ''GrandTheftAuto4''. Auto-target aims at center of mass, while holding the auto-target button allows you to move the crosshair slightly. It becomes laughably easy to get headshots in this way, making many of the game's missions incredibly easy.
**** the latest Chapter in GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony, * requires* you to score a certain number of headshots each mission to get the 100% score. Chinese Take Out in fact requires all kills to be headshots.
*** GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas had this, tho. In fact, one fun thing ... if you're close enough, the auto-target will go from centre of mass up to head. Which makes sense--if you're at, say, 5cm range, why not?
* ''SyphonFilter'' had this, too, even explicitly telling you that headshots in manual aim were more lethal. Especially needed when enemies started wearing flak jackets, which could take dozens of rounds to penetrate. Nothing says 'I hate you' like a headshot with the lethal taser.
** And the dread of seeing the HEAD SHOT indicator above your own head. Take cover, or [[ChunkySalsaRule your head's gonna be chunky salsa]].
* The multiplayer arenas in ''ConkersBadFurDay'' (at least the N64 version) tracked these. Especially fun when the headshot was from crossbow or knife; the bolt or knife would be stuck in the head as they spun dazed.
** Also, due to stylization most of the characters were only about 3 heads tall, with their heads being the widest part of the body. That's right, in ConkersBadFurDay heads were usually the biggest and easiest target to hit.
** Furthermore, during the main adventure, you can only kill zombies by shooting them in the head.
* In ''{{Fallout}}'' creatures have location map for called shots, critical hit effects depend on specific location, head shots tend to be severe. But it's far from "always instant kill" and usually head is second hardest to hit location after ''eyes''.
** But played straight in ''Fallout 3''. Not only can you [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxnZgeAplVg aim for the head in VATS]], but with the [[LudicrousGibs Bloody Mess]] perk, people's heads will explode even if you shoot them in the foot or set them on fire. FLAMETHROWER HEADSHOT!
*** Alternately, you can take the [[ColdSniper Sniper]] feat, which dramatically improves VATS accuracy vs. heads, along with a feat that dramatically improves VATS accuracy with rifles, then use the sniper rifle while [[CriticalHit sneaking up on an enemy]]. Near the midpoint of the game, I generally spent one bullet per enemy. Heck, most of the time I could suffice with the hunting rifle and save the sniper rifle for open terrain.
*** Headshots do more damage, but they aren't an instant kill except on the weakest enemies, who would go down in a couple of shots anyway. The difference is enough that aiming for center of mass is a bad idea, though.
** In fact, in Fallout 1 and 2 it's possible to aim an automatic weapon or a missile at a specific body part. A minigun on full auto into the groin is especially satisfying. Fallout 3 removed the groin as an acceptable target.
** Fallout 1 and 2 also included non-human body part targets (the tentacle, or parts of a robot).
** Fallout 3 does include non-human body part targets, just not the groin or eyes. Usually, it's just leg, arm, torso, head, and appropriate analogues to those. However, on robots and turrets, you can target and destroy their targeting chip (or module or combat inhibitor), causing them to frenzy and attack anything. Shooting the antennae of insects does the same. The only other enemies with a strange weak point are the centaurs, whose tongues can be targeted.
*** Fallout 3 also plays with this trope in that the other locations are perfectly helpful targets in certain situations (generally against target with more {{Hitpoints}}) - they won't kill the target as quickly as hitting the head, but hinder them enough to be make it notice and worthwhile.
*** The you have the lurks, with full armor all around and only a small soft "face" deeply recessed in said carapace. Trying to shoot them anywhere but the head is a waste of ammo.

* In the InNameOnly FPS of Shadowrun, there's an interesting twist on this--the Dwarves seem to be the only race that can survive a single headshot with a sniper rifle.
* In ''{{Fable}}'' of all games, thanks to existent but heavily reduced sway of hands, you can headshot from a fair distance with a crossbow or even a ''bow''. It comes complete with a fountain of blood and the disembodied head spinning for another moment in the air. It's only if you can inflict a one hit kill with it, though (sometimes even more resistant normal enemies can survive a headshot when it's from a weak enough hero and when they're at full HP). For the more sadistic among us, you can also make enemies' head explode in much the same way with a Lightning spell.
** In Fable 2, the last dexterous style is sub-targeting, which allows you to target specific spots on an enemy such as the hand (to disarm them), groin, or head. A headshot will often kill an enemy in one shot, decapitating them in the process.
*** You can boot the heads around when you shoot one off, too.
* A successful headshot in ''ValkyriaChronicles'' will cause [[CriticalHit critical damage]] to the opponent. For snipers, who are good at this sort of thing, it's almost a guaranteed OneHitKill. You can protect yourself from these types of hits by crouching behind sandbags or laying down in the grass where the enemy can't see you.
* The AlienVsPredator PC shooters both allow the [[Film/{{Alien}} titular xenomorphs]] to score MELEE headshots in which the player trains their crosshairs on the offender's cranium for a moment (causing teeth to appear all around the edges of the screen), then launches the alien's inner jaws at the target, EATING THEIR HEAD and TOTALLY HEALING YOU, all from up to 15 feet away! This can even be performed on corpses.

* The MMO Third Person Shooter, ''{{S4 League}}'', features critical hits, which generally only occur when a player's shot connects with an enemy's head. On the other hand, ''{{S4 League}}'''s entire setting revolves around unashamedly presenting itself as an online 'sport' played in virtual stadiums over the internet. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Which it is]].
* Depending on the power of the firearm, headshots in {{STALKER}} are instantly lethal for human enemies not wearing helmets, and deal massive damage to everything else, but are very difficult to score at anything moving at greater than point blank range. As opposed to most other shooters though, hitting center of mass usually makes the human enemy stagger and stop for a second, making the following headshot much easier.

* In ''Time Crisis 2'', ''3'', and ''4'', hitting non-armored {{Mook}}s anywhere will [[OneHitPointWonder kill them]], but headshots yield the most points, followed by body shots, then limb shots.
*** However, getting points doesn't stop at a headshot; shooting the head once and then shooting their body twice (you can hit a Mook twice more after the initial hit) yields the most points.
** ''SilentScope'' is similar, and in the third ''Silent Scope'' game, your [[LifeMeter life]]/[[TimedMission time]] meter will refill a bit on head shots.
*** Headshots on most bosses are a OneHitKill, unless they are wearing a mask/helmet.
** Inverted in ''VirtuaCop 3'' however, where headshots are actually the least lucrative, as they score low and don't allow for chains. The better alternatives are [[BlastingItOutOfTheirHands shooting their gun]], or just chaining 3 hits starting with any other part of the body.
* In TotalOverdose, head shots give the most style points, and are the only way to rack up combos for multiple kills. The most points are awarded for delivering a headshot while airborne, twisting 360 degrees and getting another headshot before hitting the ground...even more if done leaping from a speeding vehicle.
* This is a handy way to bring down enemies in ''Killzone 2'', as well; but first you often have to shoot off the enemies' helmets and reveal their big pale BaldOfEvil before you can actually score a lethal hit there.
** unless your using the shotgun at close range, or the sniper rifle, speaking of which, score 15 headshots with the snipe rifle and you're rewarded with the 'Melonpopper' Trophy
* Inverted, sort of, in Turok 2. While most weapons instant kill with a head shot, both the Tek Arrows, and the Cerebral Bore are Headshot, Boom weapons.

* In ''{{GURPS}}'' a head shot is not always a one hit kill but it does do four times normal damage, hitting is very difficult.
** Another problem is that skull has its own DR, meaning that whatever you hit the head with might just bounce off. Especially if the target is wearing a helmet.
*** Your perfectly average human has 10HP, a 'crippling wound' on the head is 1/3HP. The head has Damage Reduction 2. Almost all guns do at least 3 damage, which after DR is 1* 4 = 4. One more point of damage, and you have more than twice the amount of damage for a crippling wound, meaning that the head is 'destroyed'. Boom, headshot.
*** Or to put it another way, wear a damn helmet if you want anything more than a derringer round to bounce off.
* Though you can't actually aim for heads in ''DragonAge'', one of the death animations for humanoid enemies has the attacker make a wide swinging blow that slices the head of in a [[PinkMist huge gush of blood]].

* ''PoliceQuest SWAT'' (the FMV one) lets you practice the Failure drill on the weapons range.
* ''LostPlanet'' makes this the only way to liberate weapons from human enemies.
* While [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mission_to_Vulpter preparing]] to kill a prominent enemy target in ''LegacyOfTheForce'', Ben Skywalker and Jori Lekauf discuss this trope (as a side note, they're going for the sniping route, and Ben has an advantage in being Force-sensitive);
-->'''Ben''': Why not center mass?
-->'''Lekauf''': That's the army way - kill or wound, you've still put the target out of action. Police snipers have to worry about hostages and stuff, so they're trained to incapacitate instantly - headshot. Assassination doesn't have to be as instant, just dead. But a headshot's still best. (''makes a gesture to demonstrate the target zone, at about eye level'') That's the zone you're aiming at. A five-centimeter band around the head at eye level. Put one in there and you've got a kill. But with the kind of frangible round you'll be using, as long as you hit the head or neck at all, the result's the same.
-->'''Ben''': What if I can only get a shot at center mass?
-->'''Lekauf''': He won't respond to cardiopulmonary resuscitation after a round hits him, believe me. Optimum is still the headshot, though.

* Headshots seem to do more damage in ''{{Bully}}'' too, when using the slingshot at least. A fully-charged shot to the head will drop almost any student.

* Nearly all headshots in {{Borderlands}} will remove the head, and even sometimes destroy the entire body.

* In ''TheGodfather'' game headshots are a OneHitKill, allowing you to go through enemies more efficiently. Given that Tommygun and shotgun users show up quite early and you don't become MadeOfIron until quite a bit later, this is important. You can even go through mob wars using just your .38 pea-shooter by taking cover and making precision headshots.
* A finishing move when equipped with a sword in JadeEmpire is decapitation. It doesn't show where the head goes, but it does show a fountain of blood, which makes you wonder just how much of the head is intact afterwards.
* In one level of 2005's ThePunisher video game, the eponymous protagonist is accompanied by S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers. Whenever a criminal is shot in the head, one of the soldiers excitedly growls, "Headshot!" In another level that features head of S.H.I.E.L.D. NickFury, if the Punisher lands a headshot, Fury says, "Way to make it messy, Castle."
* When the Computer Club President challenges the SOS Brigade to a video game contest in SuzumiyaHaruhi, the titular character does a DyanmicEntry and kicks him in the head. With both feet.
* ''StarFox Assault'''s Sniper Rifle does bonus damage on a head shot. Of course, the thing is so powerful, you don't even need a headshot to take most opponents down. Wolf is the only multi-player character that can survive being shot at all, but he's also the fastest.
* Future Purple Tentacle in ''DayOfTheTentacle'' always goes for a headshot, [[FridgeLogic even though his weapon is nonlethal and has the same effect no matter where the blast hits]]. [[spoiler: This habit leads to his downfall.]]

* UnchartedDrakesFortune awards an instant kill on a headshot, and getting several headshots in a row (as well as hitting certain thresholds of career headshots) helps unlock bonus content.
* Anytime you run into a seemingly-invincible enemy in the ''Mega Man'' series, you have to aim for his head. Does his head fill the screen? Gem in the forehead. No head? Anything that looks like an eye is your target.
** The ''X'' series in particular uses this trope at its most literal every chance it gets. Both the ''X'' and ''Zero'' series start with an intro boss you have to headshot to damage, Sigma only ever uses One-Winged Angel forms with weak spots in the head, and you can use this to hijack enemy Ride Armors in X8. And that's just a few examples.
* The first Medal of Honor game had a way of naming the different places where you shoot someone the most (for instance, if you shot the Nazis in the arm the most in a level, one of the titles you could receive would be winger) so if you shot them in the head a lot, you'd get titles like melon popper, cap shooter, helmet plunker, ect.

* Amusingly, the MechWarrior games (the computer games, at least) allow you to score headshots ''on HumongousMecha''. The head is a discreet section of the 'mech with its own armor, and generally has very little protection. It's tiny, but an instant kill if you do manage to destroy it.
** Probably a carryover from the original BattleTech TabletopGame, where the maximum limit on head armor was the same (that is, quite low) for everybody regardless of size category.
** In the BattleTech MechCommander video games, shooting a mech in the head tended to kill the pilot as well. If the mech was destroyed any other way, the pilot would usually eject the head as an escape pod and survive.
* Averted in ''PointBlank''; in stages where you shoot at human-shaped cardboard targets, shooting the center of the chest yields 100 points, the highest point value on the target. Shooting the head only nets 60 points.
* In {{Cold Fear}}, the only way to kill a zombie is to shoot their head, or else they won't stop coming after you.

* The MMO Third Person Shooter, ''{{S4 League}}'', features critical hits, which generally only occur when a player's shot connects with an enemy's head. On the other hand, ''{{S4 League}}'''s entire setting revolves around unashamedly presenting itself as an online 'sport' played in virtual stadiums over the internet. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Which it is]]. SoYeah.

** Don't forget about the multiplayer playlist SWAT, where only headshots do any damage.

** The "Meet the Sniper" video opens with shots of the Sniper driving his RV through the desert; he flicks a [[MythologyGag TFC VIP bobblehead]] on the dashboard of his RV and says "Boom. Headshot." and we cut to the title card.